Essay on Election Process in India

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Essay on Election Process in India!

Universal Adult Franchise:

The Constitution of India gives every adult (18 years or above of age) the right to chose representatives through the exercise of his right to vote. There are no conditions attached to this right. Under British rule too, there was some form of representative government but the right to vote was restricted to around one sixth of adults who would have been eligible under universal franchise.

Our Constitution has now extended political powers down the common man. The voters exercise their right to vote to elect representatives to the Lok Sabha, the State Legislative Assemblies and the Local bodies down to the Gram Panchayat.

The Election Process:

The framers of the Constitution were well aware of the importance of free and fair elections in a democracy. The Constitution as such provides for an Election Commission not answerable to the executive. The Chief Election Commissioner is appointed by the President and is assisted by a number of other Election Commissioners.

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The independence of the Commission is ensured by providing that the Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only though a process of impeachment as prescribed in case of Judges of the Supreme Court.

The Election Commission functions with the help of the staff of the Central and State governments. When deployed on election duty, these officers and officials of central and State governments are deemed to be on deputation to the Commission. The Commission is assisted by Chief Electoral Officers who assist in the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.

First past the Post System of Elections:

Elections in India are held under this system. The whole country is divided into constituencies. Voters select a single candidate by marking against the candidate of their choice or through electronic voting machines. The candidate who secures the highest number of votes is declared elected.

(He may have secured even less than half of the total votes polled. Consider a situation in which 1000 votes have been polled. There were 6 candidates in the contest. They secured 140,150,160,170,180 and 200 votes respectively. The candidate securing 200 votes stands selected even though he represents only 20% of the voters. This remains a weakness of the system in which first past the post is declared winner.)

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The system is easy to operate. There is however heavy wastage of votes cast in favor of losing candidates. The Constitution prescribes the membership strength of the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies. The Election Commission is responsible for preparation and revision of electoral rolls (list of voters for each constituency) and the delimitation of constituencies (marking of territory for each constituency).

System in Operation:

The Election Commission appoints Electoral Registration Officers in consultation with State governments. They are assisted by Assistant Registration Officers. The existing electoral rolls are displayed at select places. Any citizen who feels he is eligible but his / her name does not figure in the list can fill up a form and get his name included in the electoral Roll.

Conduct of Elections:

Whenever the new elections become due, the Election Commission issues a notification to that effect. The various governments in place are hereafter forbidden from doing any act that might further favor their electoral prospects. The Commission in consultation with the state administration appoints Returning Officers for the various constituencies from where elections are to be held.

Updating of Electoral Rolls:

Electoral rolls are prepared and updated though the agency of state officials. They are required to do this in addition to their own duties. Political parties take an interest in getting voters sympathetic to those enrolled. The rest are left to fend on their own. The initiative does not come from the state authorities or the persons involved in updating the electoral rolls. Issue of voter’s identity card is still in process.

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Providing voters photo identity cards is a colossal task but can be a very effective way of checking bogus voting.